Claims
- 1. An apparatus for dispersing product over terrain to be treated by the dispersed product, said apparatus including:
a housing for a product container; a product container operatively associated with said housing for holding product to be dispersed by said apparatus over said terrain to be treated; means operatively associated with said housing for dispersing product from said product container over said terrain to be treated; means for transporting said housing over said terrain to be treated; and a metering assembly received at least partially in said product container and disposed above said means for dispersing said product for controlling the flow of material from said product container onto said means for dispersing said material over said terrain to be treated when said product container is received in said housing.
- 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for transporting includes at least one ground engaging wheel for driving said apparatus over said terrain to be treated, said apparatus comprising a drive train coupling said at least one ground engaging wheel to said metering assembly for metering material from said product container onto said dispersing means at a rate proportional to the speed at which said apparatus is driven over said terrain to be treated, said means for dispersing comprising a rotatable impeller disposed beneath said metering assembly for receiving thereon product from said product container, and means coupling said at least one drive engaging wheel to said rotatable impeller for imparting rotational movement to said rotatable impeller as said apparatus is driven over said terrain to be treated.
- 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 including means for controlling the rotational speed of said impeller such that said impeller rotates at a predetermined rotational speed independent of the linear speed at which said apparatus is driven over said terrain to be treated.
- 4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said metering assembly in said product container includes means for controlling the position at which product from said product container is deposited on said means for dispersing.
- 5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said drive train coupling said at least one ground engaging wheel to said metering assembly includes means for automatically disengaging said metering assembly from said at least one ground engaging wheel to prevent product from said product container from being deposited on said means for dispersing when said apparatus is driven in a predetermined direction.
- 6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said housing includes means for removably receiving said product container such that said metering assembly in said product container is oriented relative to said means for dispersing such that product from said product container is deposited on said means for dispersing by gravity feed through said metering assembly, said product container and said metering assembly therein being mountable to and removable from said apparatus as a single unit.
- 7. An apparatus for dispersing product over terrain to be treated by the dispersed product, said apparatus including:
a housing for a product container; a product container operatively associated with said housing for holding product to be dispensed over said terrain to be treated; rotatable means operatively associated with said housing for dispersing product from said product container over said terrain to be treated, and means for controlling the rotational speed of said rotatable means such that said rotatable means rotate at a pretermined substantially constant rotational speed independent of the linear speed at which said apparatus is driven over said terrain to be treated; and means for transporting said housing over said terrain to be treated, said means for transporting comprising at least one ground engaging wheel for driving said apparatus over said terrain to be treated, and a drive train coupling said at least one ground engaging wheel to metering means for metering material from said product container onto said rotatable means at a rate substantially proportional to said linear speed at which said apparatus is driven over said terrain to be treated.
- 8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said apparatus includes means for controlling the position at which said material is deposited on said rotatable means.
- 9. A meter for controlling the flow of material from a container, said meter comprising:
a disk having an upper surface and a lower surface, and a plurality of channels defined between said upper and lower surfaces of said disk; said plurality of channels being oriented substantially perpendicular to both said upper and lower surfaces of said disk; each of said plurality of channels defining a predetermined space corresponding to a predetermined volume of material to be dispersed from said container; discharge means disposed adjacent to said lower surface of said disk, said discharge means defining at least one opening therein for sequentially blocking and unblocking said plurality of channels in said disk as said disk rotates relative to said discharge means; charging means mounted adjacent to said upper surface of said disk, said charging means defining at least one opening therein, said charging means being oriented to sequentially block and unblock said plurality of channels in said disk as said disk rotates relative to said charging means; and means for rotating said disk; said discharge means being fixedly mounted relative to said rotatble disk.
- 10. The device as claimed in claim 9 including means for selectively blocking at least one of said plurality of channels in said disk for controlling the position at which said material from said container is deposited by gravity feed on means for dispersing disposed beneath said disk.
- 11. The device as claimed in claim 9 wherein said plurality of said channels are defined in said disk in at least two concentric circular rows.
- 12. A meter for controlling the flow of material from a container, said meter comprising:
a disk having an upper surface and a lower surface, and a plurality of channels defined between said upper and lower surfaces of said disk; said plurality of channels being oriented substantially perpendicular to both said upper and lower surfaces of said disk; each of said plurality of channels defining a predetermined space corresponding to a predetermined volume of material to be dispersed from said container; said plurality of said channels being defined in said disk in at least two concentric circular rows, and a substantially square shaped opening in the center of said disk, said square shaped opening adapted to receive a correspondingly configured drive element for imparting rotatable movement to said disk.
- 13. A device for controlling the speed of a rotatable dispersing element of an apparatus for dispersing material, said device comprising:
at least one control element movably mounted to said rotatable element, said control element being movable relative to the center of said rotatable element for opposing changes to said rotational speed of said rotatable element for maintaining said rotational speed of said rotatable element substantially constant.
- 14. The device as claimed in claim 13 wherein said rotatable element includes at least one guide element for receiving said control element therein and for guiding said movement of said control element relative to said center of said rotatable element.
- 15. The device as claimed in claim 14 including a resilient element coupled to said control element f or limiting movement of said control element relative to said center of said rotatable element.
- 16. A device for dispersing material over terrain to be treated, said device including:
means for transporting a container holding said material to be applied by said device to said terrain to be treated; means for dispersing said material from said device as said device is transported over said terrain to be treated; metering means for controlling the deposit of said material from said container onto said means for dispersing; a drive train coupling at least one ground engaging wheel of said means for transporting to said metering means for imparting rotatable movement to said metering means for depositing said material from said container onto said means for dispersing when said device is moved along said terrain in a first predetermined direction; said drive train comprising drive means, driven means, and means for engaging said drive means and said driven means to impart rotatable movement from said drive means to said driven means only when said device is moved along said terrain in said first predetermined direction.
- 17. The device as claimed in claim 16 wherein:
said drive means comprises a drive plate fixedly mounted to said at least one ground engaging wheel and rotatable therewith, and said driven means comprises a driven plate operatively associated with said drive plate and adapted to engage said drive plate for rotation therewith for imparting rotational movement to said metering means when said device is moved in said first predetermined direction; said drive plate including at least one engagement element thereon oriented in a direction towards said driven plate, said driven plate defining at least one engagement element thereon oriented in a direction towards said drive plate, said respective engagement elements on said drive plate and said driven plate being configured to engage each other and impart rotational movement from said drive plate to said driven plate only when said device is moved in said first predetermined direction.
- 18. The device as claimed in claim 17 wherein said engagement element defined on said drive plate is configured as a saw tooth having an inclined surface terminating in a substantially perpendicular surface.
- 19. The device as claimed in claim 18 wherein said engagement element on said driven plate comprises a tab having a free end thereof extending towards said drive plate, said free end of said tab adapted to move along said inclined surface of said saw tooth of said engagement element on said drive plate as said drive plate rotates relative to said driven plate.
- 20. A product container for dispersing material, said product container comprising:
a housing and a product meter, said housing including means for retaining said product meter at least partially within said housing.
- 21. The product container as claimed in claim 20 wherein said means for retaining is adapted to retain said product meter at least partially within said housing such that said housing and said product meter are conjointly movable.
- 22. The product container as claimed in claim 20 wherein said housing defines a tapered section, said tapered section comprising said means for retaining said product meter in said housing.
- 23. The product container as claimed in claim 22 wherein said tapered section of said housing defines a discharge outlet, said tapered section of said housing being adapted to retain said product meter over said discharge outlet.
- 24. The product container as claimed in claim 23 wherein said tapered section of said housing is defined by a plurality of f laps, said f laps being movable between a retracted position in which said discharge outlet is closed and an extended position in which said discharge outlet is opened.
- 25. The product container as claimed in claim 24 wherein said product meter is received in its entirety in a storage position within said housing when said discharge opening is closed, and is displaceable relative to said housing over said discharge outlet when said discharge outlet is opened.
- 26. The product container as claimed in claim 20 wherein said housing is adapted to be received in the hopper of a dispersing apparatus and oriented relative thereto such that said product meter is engageable with drive means associated with said dispersing apparatus when said housing is received in said hopper.
- 27. A product container comprising:
an outer housing formed from a substantially rigid material; and an inner receptacle for holding product to be dispersed from an apparatus movable along terrain to be treated by said product, said inner receptacle being formed from a substantially flexible material and mounted within said outer housing.
- 28. The product container as claimed in claim 27 wherein at least a portion of said outer housing is formed from a plurality of flaps, said flaps being movable between a retracted position in which a discharge outlet of said outer housing is closed, and an extended position in which a discharge outlet of said housing is opened.
- 29. The product container as claimed in claim 28 wherein said outer housing and inner receptacle are each formed, in part, from a transparent material to permit visual observation of the product in said product container.
- 30. An apparatus for dispersing product, the apparatus comprising:
a housing; a container operatively associated with the housing for holding a product; means for dispersing the product from the container; metering means for controlling the flow of the product between the container and the means for dispersing; means for transporting the housing over a terrain; and means operatively associated with said means for dispersing for selectively varying the rotational speed of said means for dispersing between at least a first predetermined rotational speed and a second predetermined rotational speed.
- 31. The apparatus as claimed in claim 30 wherein said means for selectively varying includes a selector switch coupled to a drive train disposed between said means for transporting and said means for dispersing.
- 32. The apparatus as claimed in claim 31 further including a second switch coupled to said drive train for disengaging said means for transporting from said means for dispersing, said second switch being operatively associated with said selector switch such that said selector switch is movable to vary said rotational speed of said means for dispersing only when said second switch is in a position in which said drive train is disengaged.
- 33. The apparatus as claimed in claim 32 wherein said selector switch is a plate defining at least first and second slots corresponding to said at least first and second predetermined rotational speeds of said means for dispersing, and said second switch is operatively associated with said selector switch such that said drive train is engaged only when said second switch is received in at least one of said slots of said selector switch.
- 34. The apparatus as claimed in claim 33 wherein said second switch is operatively associated with said drive train such that said drive train is disengaged when said second switch is removed from any of said slots of said selector switch.
- 35. The apparatus as claimed in claim 32 further including a handle extending from said housing, said selector switch and said second switch being mounted on said handle.
- 36. The apparatus as claimed in claim 30 wherein said metering means comprises selector means for adjusting the position on which product is deposited on said means for dispersing, and switch means for controlling the position of said selector means relative to said metering means.
- 37. The apparatus as claimed in claim 36 further including means for selectively controlling the distribution of product from said apparatus by said means for dispersing.
- 38. An apparatus for dispersing product, the apparatus comprising:
a housing; a container operatively associated with the housing for holding a product; means for dispersing the product from the container; metering means for controlling the flow of the product between the container and the means for dispersing; and means for transporting the housing over a terrain; said metering means including selector means for adjusting the position on which product is deposited on said means for dispersing, and switch means for controlling the position of said selector means relative to said metering means.
- 39. The apparatus as claimed in claim 38 wherein said apparatus includes a handle extending from said housing, and said switch means are mounted to said handle.
- 40. The apparatus as claimed in claim 39 wherein said switch means includes at least two different switch positions, each of said different switch positions having a corresponding visual indicia associated therewith for illustrating a product distribution pattern corresponding to said switch position.
- 41. The apparatus as claimed in claim 38 wherein said selector means includes a rotatable drum operatively associated with said switch means for selectively adjusting the position of said selector means relative to said metering means.
- 42. The apparatus as claimed in claim 41 further including guide means operatively associated with said rotatable selector drum for guiding said selector means into a predetermined operative position relative to said metering means.
- 43. An apparatus for dispersing product, the apparatus comprising:
a housing; a container operatively associated with the housing for holding a product; means for dispersing the product from the container; metering means for controlling the flow of the product between the container and the means for dispersing; means for transporting the housing over a terrain; and means for selectively controlling the distribution of product from said apparatus by said means for dispersing.
- 44. The apparatus as claimed in claim 43 wherein said means for selectively controlling comprises at least one flap movably mounted to said housing for selectively obstructing at least a portion of product dispersed by said means for dispersing.
- 45. The apparatus as claimed in claim 44 wherein said flap is selectively movable between a first operative position and a second non-operative position, and means for releasably locking said flap in said first and second positions.
- 46. An apparatus for dispersing product, the apparatus comprising:
a housing; a container operatively associated with the housing for holding a product; means for dispersing the product from the container; metering means for controlling the flow of the product between the container and the means for dispersing; means for transporting the housing over a terrain; and a drive train coupling said means for transporting to said means for dispersing for rotating said means for dispersing as said apparatus moves along the terrain, said drive train including an override clutch for permitting said means for dispersing to continue to rotate after movement of said apparatus has stopped.
- 47. The apparatus as claimed in claim 46 wherein said drive train coupling said means for transporting to said means for dispersing includes a belt drive having openings for receiving drive pins for providing a positive driving force.
- 48. An apparatus for dispersing product, the apparatus comprising:
a housing; a container operatively associated with the housing for holding a product; means for dispersing the product from the container; metering means for controlling the flow of the product between the container and the means for dispersing; means for transporting the housing over a terrain; and a drive train coupling said means for transporting with said means for dispersing, said means for transporting including at least one wheel rotatable over the terrain, said drive train including a clutch proximate to the inner surface of said at least one wheel, said clutch including means for reflecting sound waves generated by said clutch in a direction towards said inner surface of said at least one wheel for reducing noise as said apparatus is transported over the terrain.
- 49. The apparatus as claimed in claim 48 wherein said means for reflecting sound waves includes a clutch housing surrounding said clutch for substantially enclosing said clutch between said clutch housing and said inner surface of said at least one wheel.
- 50. A container removably mountable to an apparatus for dispersing a product from the container, the container comprising metering means for controlling flow of the product from the container; and means for separating at least a portion of the product in the container from the metering means for reducing the weight of the product applied directly to said metering means.
- 51. The container as claimed in claim 50 wherein said means for separating includes a partition element disposed in the container and above the metering means.
- 52. The container as claimed in claim 51 wherein said partition element is rotatable together with the metering means.
- 53. The container as claimed in claim 52 wherein said partition element includes at least one opening therein for controlling the flow of material through said partition element.
- 54. The container as claimed in claim 50 wherein said metering means includes guide means for engaging a drive shaft of said apparatus to which said container is mounted.
- 55. The container as claimed in claim 54 wherein said guide means includes a plurality of spiral flutes defined in the metering means.
- 56. The container as claimed in claim 20 wherein said product meter includes a replaceable metering disk.
- 57. A container adapted to be removably mounted to an apparatus for dispersing a product from the container as the apparatus is tranported over a terrain, the container defining discharge means oriented in a downward direction when the container is mounted to the apparatus for discharging the product from the container by gravity feed, the container having a closable opening defined therein for refilling the container with the product without removing the container from said apparatus.
- 58. The container as claimed in claim 57, wherein said discharge means is defined on a top surface of the container, and said closable opening is defined on an opposed base surface of the container.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 09/189,555, filed Nov. 11, 1998.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60067464 |
Dec 1997 |
US |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09440603 |
Nov 1999 |
US |
Child |
09887461 |
Jun 2001 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09189555 |
Nov 1998 |
US |
Child |
09440603 |
Nov 1999 |
US |